Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
(WSLCB)

24 cannabis-related bills were active and 11 were scheduled for committee activity in the week ahead, including social equity, craft endorsements, and WSLCB request legislation.

Sharply divided testimony on a bill to add more members and non-voting legislators to the WSLCB board suggested the idea was controversial in both the cannabis and alcohol sectors.

Agency staff described six proposals they were engaged with in the second week of the legislative session, leading to a longer discussion about dueling synthesized cannabinoid bills.

Testimony on a craft cannabis endorsement was weighted in favor of those who saw the proposal increasing fairness in the cannabis market, but others were not so sure.

Washington State House and Senate policy committees had full schedules for the second week of the short session as 21 cannabis-related bills vied for legislator attention - including four newly introduced.

Some licensees, WSLCB staff, and prevention advocates encouraged lawmakers to pass request legislation on cannabinoid regulation, while other licensees preferred a competing bill.

Staff described the impact the internal Agency Policy Work Group was having on policy and interpretive statements, agency request legislation, and rulemaking at WSLCB.

A majority of speakers favored legislation to create a cannabis commodity commission, but questions remained about costs, goals, and the inclusiveness with which the bill was drafted.

After pushback for not acting earlier, council members formally and unanimously endorsed all of the recommendations of the Washington State Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis.

As the 2022 Washington state legislative session began on Monday, 12 cannabis-related bills had been pre-filed for introduction and 7 would be reintroduced from 2021.